Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: SCEA

Sega is laying the groundwork for the return of Yakuza with the first of a three-part video series, Welcome to the World of Yakuza 5. The nearly six-minute-long video features Sony’s Director of Third Party Production and Developer Relations Gio Corsi interviewing Yakuza 5’s General Director Toshihiro Nagoshi and Producer Masayoshi Yokoyama. Topics covered include what the duo value most as creators, the storyline, and the inspiration behind the series.

Select Samsung Smart TVs can now stream PlayStation 3 titles using PlayStation Now. The subscription- and rental-based service allows owners of supported models the chance to stream PlayStation 3 titles without a system by utilizing the PS Now app through Samsung’s Smart Hub. The app includes all of the traditional features, so games operate as if they are being played on a system, such as Trophies, multiplayer, and cloud-based saving. Games are played using DualShock 4 controllers, which are synced after the app is started.

Sony has announced that they are prepping the next update for PS4. Update version 2.50, codenamed Yukimura, is scheduled to go live on March 26 and is set to add a number of features. Some of the additions include Suspend/Resume, allowing players to pause their game by putting the system into Rest Mode and resuming by pressing the PlayStation button on the controller; the ability to back-up data onto an external USB drive, such as game saves, settings, screenshots, patches, and video clips; and improved accessibility options, with functions to zoom, and invert colors along with enlarged text and text-to-speech for the interface, apps, and browser. The new visibility options will not apply to games or third-party apps, though they will be added to PS Vita and mobile devices via PS App in their own respective updates whenever Yukimura is released.

FromSoftware’s follow-up to Dark Souls 2, Bloodborne, is now available for PS4. The system exclusive sports a similar tone and atmosphere to the Souls series, once again pitting players against hordes of monsters in a foreboding land filled with danger. This time, players must venture through the city of Yharnam in the midst of a deadly outbreak that has led to the streets being filled with crazed citizens and strange monsters, as well as into a constantly changing labyrinth known as the Chalice Dungeon. Combat is a bit different this time around, though, as guns can now be used, which fits nicely with the new Victorian Era theme.

Sony has announced that the PlayStation 4 has, as of March 1, sold more than 20.2 million units worldwide. The system is now available in 123 countries and regions around the globe. Sony also used this year’s Game Developers Conference to unveil the latest prototype of their virtual reality system, Project Morpheus. Several changes have been made since the headset was debuted last March, based on developer and consumer feedback. The major alterations include a new motion-blur- and flicker-reducing 5.7-inch 1920 x RGB x 1080 resolution OLED display, replacing a 5-inch LCD; support for 120fps output, along with a PS4 update to add support whenever connected to a headset; three more LEDs, nine total, to reduce latency and improve tracking accuracy; and changes to make the headset lighter and easier to put on and remove.

Sony has announced their plans for this year’s Spring Fever PlayStation Store event. The eight-week-long promo will feature additional discounts for PS Plus members and general discounts for everyone. While some of the bigger franchises will be included in the sale, such as Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, and God of War, the new titles, set to launch one per week, are especially interesting. Some of the highlights are the PS4 version of Jamestown+, with four-player support, and several cross-buy titles, including Helldivers, Metal Slug 3, and Shovel Knight. The full list of titles and release dates is available below.